Cutting device



April 16, 1963 L- R. G NILLIAT R 3,085,331

CUTTING DEVICE Filed Sept. 19, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

LEIGH R. Guemn. \AT, JR.

' "EL-FEE- United States Patent O 3,085,331 CUTTING DEVICE Leigh R. Gignilliat, In, 12 E. Scott, Chicago, Ill. Filed Sept. 19, 1960, Ser. No. 57,020 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-634) This invention relates to a cutting device whereby a razor blade may be used for cutting paper, cardboard, cloth, string or rope, thin pieces of wood and other materials, or for sharpening pencils, paring or trimming corns or callouses on the feet or other purposes.

The general object of the invention is to provide a safety guard wherein the razor blade may be mounted and whereby it may be safely and conveniently used for the above purposes.

-A further object is to provide a safety guard for this purpose into which the razor blade may be easily inserted and from which it may be readily withdrawn, with provisions for firmly seating it and securely holding it in fixed position in the guard while the device is in use.

Another object is to provide a razor blade safety guard of this character which may be inexpensively manufactured and which is adapted for use with razor blades which are readily available, particularly the Gillette blades which are in common use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be evident from the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an assembly view of the device showing it in use for one type of cutting operation;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the assembled device, partly broken away for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the parts of the device in disassembled relationship;

FIG. 4 is a view showing the blade partially inserted in the guard, with the retaining wire spring detent removed from its normal position, and indicating the manner in which the blade may be inserted or removed;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the section line 55 of FIG. :1, showing the wire detent in solid lines in its normal retaining position and in dotted lines in the position to which it is first moved upon disengagement from the blade;

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the assembled device taken substantially on the section line 6-6 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is an elevational view of the device shown inse'r'ted in a protective case; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional View of the encased device, taken substantially on the section line 88 in FIG. 7.

As thus illustrated the device comprises a holder 11 in which the razor blade 12 is inserted and a wire spring detent 113, such parts being constructed and adapted to coact as hereinafter described. If desired a protective casing 14, adapted to receive the exposed part of the blade and the sharpened blade-gripping part of the holder, may be provided as a housing for these parts when the cutter is not in use.

The blade shown is the usual type of Gillette blade having cutting edges 15, an irregularly-shaped center slot 16 and four rounded notches 17, two at each end of the blade.

I'Ihe body of the safety guard or holder 11 is preferably formed from a single piece of metal and comprises two side portions marked 18 and 19, respectively, and a rounded top portion 21. The lower parts of the side portions 18 and 19 are biased toward each other, as by being sprung together, so that they will tightly grip the blade 11 and their edges are sharpened, as indicated at 22, so that, in certain cutting operations, they can follow the blade into the material being cut. The rounded top portion 21 of the guard facilitates gripping of the device with the fingers and permits pressing of the device against the material to be out without cutting or hurting the fingers.

The detent 13 comprises a Wire spring, one end of which is inserted through registering holes 23 in the side or blade portions of the guard. This end, which is marked 24, is doubled back against the side member 19 and extends horizontally for a considerable distance along the upper part thereof just below the rounded portion 21 of the guard in order to provide the necessary spring action of the detent. The detent is thus permanently hooked to the side members 18 and 19 at the ends thereof Shown at the right in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 and at the left in FIG. 2. The part 25 of the spring lying against the side member 18 extends from the holes 23 to similar registering holes 26 in the other ends of the members 18 and 19, shown at the left in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4 and at the right in FIG. 2. The end 27 of the spring at this end of the device is turned at a right angle to the elongated part 25 of the spring to form a lateral projection or hook and is adapted to be removably received in the registering holes 26 when the detent is in its locking position. This end of the wire may be lifted out of the holes 26 and hooked over the gi ofllthe rounded portion 2-1 of the guard, as shown in The end of the side member 18 at the left (viewing FIGS. 1 and 3) is cut away and rounded as indicated at 28 to facilitate insertion of the razor blade between this member and the opposed member 19.

It will now be apparent that when in its fully seated position the blade 12 is locked in place in the holder or guard :11 by engagement of the spring detent 13 in the two notches 17 near the inner edge of the blade. The base of the U-bend (between the portions 25 and 24) at one end of the detent is disposed in one of the notches and the right angle projection 27 is disposed in the other, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 5.

The procedure for inserting and withdrawing the blade will now be described. With the movable end of the wire hooked over the rounded part 21 of the guard, the guard may be held between the thumb and fingers of the left hand with the sharpened edges up, as shown in FIG. 4. With the blade held between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand, its lower left hand corner may be inserted between the side members 18 and 19, the cutout in the member 18 facilitating such insertion. The left end of the blade may then be rotated down to arrange the blade in parallel relationship to the safety guard, with its inner edge disposed within the rounded portion 21 of the guard, and the blade may then be pushed firmly to the left until the notch 17 at its inner left corner fits over the base portion of the U-bend in the wire detent at the left in FIG. 4. The right end of the detent may then be disengaged from the rounded portion 21 of the guard and moved to permit the projection or hook 27 thereon to enter the holes 26 in the guard and the notch 17 at the inner right corner of the blade (viewing FIG. 4). When in this position, the blade is firmly locked in the safety guard.

To remove the blade, the guard may be held between the thumb and a finger of the left hand and the movable hooked end of the spring detent removed from the holes 26 by inserting a finger nail under the portion 25 of the wire near the right end thereof. The free end of the spring may then be moved down and hooked over the rounded portion 21 of the guard, after which the blade may be pushed to the right with the left thumb or forefinger engaging the left end of the blade. When the left end of the blade is flush with the left end of the guard, the right endof the blade may be grasped between the thumb and second finger of the right hand and withdrawn. The removal may be facilitated by inserting the right thumb nail in the laterally elongated end portion 29 of the slot 16 in the blade.

Alternatively the holder may be held between the thumb and fingers of the right hand with the sharpened edges down and the side portion 18 of the holder in front, the blade then being inserted and removed with the left hand in substantially the reverse manner to that above described. However the position of the device shown in FIG. 4 and the procedure above described will usually be found more suitable for easy insertion and removal of the blade.

For safety in handling the device when it is not in use, the sharpened side thereof, with the blade in seated position, may be inserted in the case 14, which may be made simply of two flat pieces of cardboard, plastic or other suitable material and an oblong encircling band of wear-resistant material, or may be otherwise constructed, preferably so that the sharpened part of the device will fit snugly and be held therein merely by friction, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a highly convenient and useful device whereby an ordinary razor blade may be used for a variety of cutting purposes without danger of cutting the fingers in its use and that it is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and the blade may be easily inserted therein and withdrawn therefrom, also without risk of cutting the hand of the user.

While I have shown and described only one illustrative embodiment of the invention, it will of course be understood that it may be otherwise embodied and that various changes may be made in the specific form of the device without departing from scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A cutting device comprising a blade and a safety guard therefor, the blade having opposed notches therein and the guard comprising a piece of metal bent upon itself with side blade-gripping portions biased toward each other and having holes therein near the opposite ends thereof, and an intermediate rounded portion at the bend in said metal piece forming a blunt top edge of the guard; and a wire spring detent, one end of which is permanently engaged in the holes at one end of said side portions of the guard and bent into U-shape, the base of the U providing a retaining element adaptedto be interengaged with the notch at one end of the blade when it is seated in the guard, and the other end of said detent having a laterally-projecting hook portion thereon adapted to be removably engaged in the holes at the other end of said side portions of the guard and in the notch at the other end of the blade to lock the blade in operative position in the guard; the blade when in such position having a cutting edge exposed beyond the outer edges of said side portions of the guard, said hook portion being freely liftable out of the last-mentioned holes and notch.

2. A cutting device as defined in claim 1 in which the outer or free edges of the side blade-gripping portions of the guard are sharpened so they can follow the cutting edge of the blade into the material being cut.

3. A cutting device as defined in claim 1, in which one of the side blade-gripping portions of the guard has a cut-out at one end thereof to facilitate insertion of the blade between said side portions.

4. A safety guard for a razor blade of the Gillette type, the latter being formed with notches at the opposite ends thereof, whereby the blade may be mounted and safely used for cutting purposes, said guard comprising a rigid holder having overlying side portions biased toward each other in such relationship as to grip a blade when it is inserted therebetween, and a blunted portion intermediate said side portions serving as a hand-hold, said side portions having registering holes therein near the opposite ends thereof adapted to register with the notches in the blade; and a wire spring detent, one end of which is permanently engaged in the holes at one end of said side portons of the guard and is so bent as to provide a retaining element adapted to be interengaged with the notch at one end of the blade when it is seated in the guard, and the other end of said detent having a laterally-projecting hook portion thereon adapted to be removably engaged in the holes at the other end of said side portions of the guard and in the notch at the other end of the blade to lock the blade in operative position in the guard, said hook portion being freely liftable out of the last-mentioned holes and notch; the blade when in such position having a cutting edge exposed beyond the outer edges of said side portions of the guard.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 941,566 Fleming Nov. 30, 1909 1,454,055 Klamroth May 8, 1923 1,498,324 Langenback June 17, 1924 1,738,365 Gahagan Dec. 3, 1929 1,843,970 Bodkin Feb. 9, 1932 2,390,964 Savoy Dec. 11, 1945 2,539,574 Fulmer Jan. 30, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 263,441 Italy Mar. 18, 1929 

4. A SAFETY GUARD FOR A RAZOR BLADE OF THE GILLETTE TYPE, THE LATTER BEING FORMED WITH NOTCHES AT THE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF, WHEREBY THE BLADE MAY BE MOUNTED AND SAFETY USED FOR CUTTING PURPOSES, SAID GUARD COMPRISING A RIGID HOLDER HAVING OVERLYING SIDE PORTIONS BIASED TOWARD EACH OTHER IN SUCH RELATIONSHIP AS TO GRIP A BLADE WHEN IT IS INSERTED THEREBETWEEN, AND A BLUNTED PORTION INTERMEDIATE SAID SIDE PORTIONS SERVING AS A HAND-HOLD, SAID SIDE PORTIONS HAVING REGISTERING HOLES THEREIN NEAR THE OPPOSITE ENDS THEREOF ADAPTED TO REGISTER WITH THE NOTCHES IN THE BLADE; AND A WIRE SPRING DETENT, ONE END OF WHICH IS PERMANENTLY ENGAGED IN THE HOLES AT ONE END OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS OF THE GUARD AND IS SO BENT AS TO PROVIDE A RETAINING ELEMENT ADAPTED TO BE INTERENGAGED WITH THE NOTCH AT ONE END OF THE BLADE WHEN IT IS SEATED IN THE GUARD, AND THE OTHER END OF SAID DETENT HAVING A LATERALLY-PROJECTING HOOK PORTION THEREON ADAPTED TO BE REMOVABLY ENGAGED IN THE HOLES AT THE OTHER END OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS OF THE GUARD AND IN THE NOTCH AT THE OTHER END OF THE BLADE TO LOCK THE BLADE IN OPERATIVE POSITION IN THE GUARD, SAID HOOK PORTION BEING FREELY LIFTABLE OUT OF THE LAST-MENTIONED HOLES AND NOTCH; THE BLADE WHEN IN SUCH POSITION HAVING A CUTTING EDGE EXPOSED BEYOND THE OUTER EDGES OF SAID SIDE PORTIONS OF THE GUARD. 